Container data center

ABSTRACT

A container data center includes a container and a number of server systems arranged in two rows. An intake is defined in a top wall of the container. An outlet is defined in a sidewall of the container adjacent to the bottom of the container. Air outside the container is drawn into the container through the intake to cool the server systems. Hot air dissipated by the server systems is exhausted out of the container through the outlet of the container.

CROSS-REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION

Relevant subject matter is disclosed in a pending U.S. patent application, titled “CONTAINER DATA CENTER AND HEAT DISSIPATION SYSTEM” with the application Ser. No. 12/894,173, filed on Nov. 30, 2009, which is assigned to the same assignee as this patent application.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to data centers, and particularly to a container data center.

2. Description of Related Art

With increasing heavy duty use of on-line applications, the need for computer data centers has increased rapidly. Data centers are centralized computing facilities that include many servers, often arranged on server racks or shelves, and one rack or shelf with some servers can be considered a server system. During operation, server systems generate a lot of heat in the data centers, and a common method for dissipating the heat is to use air conditioners, which are very expensive to purchase and operate. Therefore an energy-saving heat dissipation system is needed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawing. The components in the drawing are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments.

The FIGURE is a cross-sectional, schematic view of an embodiment of a container data center.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure, including the accompanying drawing, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to the FIGURE, an embodiment of a container data center 100 includes a mobile container 10 and a plurality of server systems 20 installed in the container 10. The server systems 20 are arranged in two parallel rows.

The container 10 includes a top wall 101, a bottom wall 102 opposite to the top wall 101, a plurality of sidewalls 103 substantially connected between sides of the top wall 101 and the bottom wall 102, and a raised floor 11 parallel and close to the bottom wall 102. Two intakes 13 are defined in the top wall 101. An outlet 14 is defined in each of the sidewalls 103, and arranged between the raised floor 11 and the bottom wall 102. The server systems 20 are supported on the raised floor 11. A heat shield 25 is provided to connect tops of the corresponding server systems 20 in the two rows. In the container 10, there is a hot aisle 24 defined among the server systems 20, the heat shield 25, and the raised floor 11, and a cold aisle 23 defined among the sidewalls 103 of the container 10, the server systems 20, the heat shield 25, and the raised floor 11. The raised floor 11 defines an opening 112 communicating with the hot aisle 24.

The container data center further includes two air input devices 30, two heat exchangers 40, and an air exhaust device 50. The air input devices 30 are attached to an outer surface of the top wall 101 of the container 10, and respectively aligned with the intakes 13. The heat exchangers 40 are attached to an inner surface of the top wall 101 of the container 10, and respectively aligned with the air input devices 30 through the intakes 13. The air exhaust device 50 is arranged under the raised floor 11. In one embodiment, each of the air input devices 30 is an axial fan. The air exhaust device 50 includes an axial fan and a plurality of air ducts (not shown) respectively facing the outlets 14 of the sidewalls 103.

In use, air outside of the container 10 is driven to flow into the container 10 through the intakes 13 by the air input devices 30. The air flows through the heat exchangers 40 to be cooled, and then the cooled air is guided into the cold aisle 23. The server systems 20 draw in the cooled air from the cold aisle 23, and dissipate hot air into the hot aisle 24. The hot air in the hot aisle 24 is driven to flow down through the opening 112, and is exhausted out of the container 10 through the outlets 14 by the air exhaust device 50. When the ambient temperature of the container 10 is low enough, the heat exchangers 40 may be shut down for power conservation. Because air around the top of the container 10 is cleaner than the air around the bottom of the container 10, driving air into the container 10 through the intakes 13 in the top wall 101 as disclosed in this application means the input air is cleaner.

In one embodiment, two air filters 131 are respectively disposed in the intakes 13 of the container 10, to prevent dust entering the container 10. Two rain shields 32 are mounted on the top wall 101 of the container 10 to respectively cover the air input devices 30 to prevent water entering the container 10.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A container data center to be cooled with air outside the container data center, the container data center comprising: a mobile container comprising a top wall, a bottom wall opposite to the top wall, and a plurality of sidewalls connected between the top wall and the bottom wall; and a plurality of server systems installed in the container, and arranged in two parallel rows; wherein an intake is defined in the top wall of the container, an outlet is defined in one of the sidewalls of the container, adjacent to the bottom wall of the container, air outside the container is driven into the container through the intake of the container to cool the server systems, hot air dissipated by the server systems is exhausted out of the container through the outlet of the container.
 2. The container data center of claim 1, further comprising an air input device to drive the air outside the container into the container, a heat exchanger to cool the air flowing into the container, and an air exhaust device to drive the hot air inside the container out of the container through the outlet, wherein the air input device is attached to the top wall of the container, and aligned with the intake, the heat exchanger is arranged adjacent to the air input device, the air exhaust device aligns with the outlet.
 3. The container data center of claim 2, wherein a rain shield is disposed on the top wall of the container to cover the air input device.
 4. The container data center of claim 2, wherein the container further comprises a raised floor parallel and close to the bottom wall of the container, the raised floor supports the server systems, and defines an opening therein, the air exhaust device and the outlet are arranged between the raised floor and the bottom wall, the air exhaust device is aligned with the opening of the raised floor.
 5. The container data center of claim 4, wherein a heat shield is connected between tops of the server systems, a hot aisle is defined among the server systems, the heat shield, and the raised floor, a cold aisle is defined among the sidewalls of the container, the server systems, the heat shield, and the raised floor, the opening of the raised floor communicates with the hot aisle.
 6. The container data center of claim 1, wherein an air filter is disposed in the intake of the container. 